Puzzle.



R. E. REID.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I3. I9I7.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

To all whom it ma concern:

RALPH 1.. 1mm, or BnookLYN, NEW Yonx.

" Be it known t at I, RALPH E. REID, a

' citizen of the United 'States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, State of New York, have invented certain new'and useful Improvements in Puzzles; and I do hereby declare the following to'be a full,-

and exact description of the invention,

clear, such as will enable others skilled in-the art to which it appertains 'to make and use the described board there are two balls, a small same.

This invention relates to puzzles and has for its object to provide a' puzzle which, in its solution, willrequire the accomplishment of two feats, each reasonably difliculti' in itself. r V

Another object is to provide a puzzle two solutions, one being morev susceptible of diflicult than the other so that the puzzle may be used as a novel "and interesting game, as will be understood from the following.

Inthe drawings Figure 1 is a top plan of the present puzzle. I

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with the fugitive ball in the central depression and the pursuing ball in position for engagement thereover in the final opera-- tion of solving the puzzle.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view showing the pursuing ball in engagement over the fugitive ball in the position which it occupies when the puzzle is solved.

Fig. 4 is a top plan of a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a detail section showing the arrangement of the obstacle pins.

Referring now to the drawings, the present invention comprises a circular board 5 having a circumscribing upstanding wall 6 to the upper edge of which there is secured a circular transparent cover 7 Formed in the upper surface of the board 5 there is a semi-spherical depression 8, and formed also in the upper surface of the board 5 in a circular series surrounding the depression 8, there are four similar depressions 9 which are spaced ninety degrees from each other. Between each of the depressions 9 and the depression 8 the board 5 carries an upstanding wall section 10, these several wall sections being curved longitudinally upon an arc concentric with the center of the board, and the several sectiers are equidistant iron the center at Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au 6, 1918.

Application filed August 13, 1917. Serial No. 185,994.

the board so that they are disposed in a circle. The several sections are spaced from each other at -their ends so that in effect there is produced a circular upstanding wall surrounding the central depression 8 concentrically and provided with four passages 11 therethrough. As will beseen in Fig. 1, thesepassages 11 are located halfway between the adjacent depressions 9.

Employed in connection with the above ball which is known as the fugitive ball, indlcated at 12, and which is of a size to seat itself within the depressions 8 and 9, and a large ball, known as the pursuing ball,'in-

- dicated at 13. 'The ball 13 has formed in its surface a semi-spherical depression 14: which 1s of a size to receive the ball 12 therewithin. The ob ect of the present puzzle is first to bring the ball 12 into one of the depressions 8 and 9 by manipulating the board and then, by further manipulation of the board, to bring the ball 13 into such a position that its recess 14 will be engaged over the ball 12 while that ball is still within the depression into which it has been brought. It is obvious that this operation may be performed more easily if one of'the depressions-9 be selected, than if the depression 8 be selected, since the wall sections 10 interrupt the free movement of the ball 13 making it necessary for this ball to pass through one of the passages 11 in order to reach the central depression 8. Thus the puzzle is capable of two solutions, a solution involving any one of the depressions 9 being less diflicult than the solution involving the depression 8.

The present puzzle may be used as a game played by two or more individuals, the board being passed from one to another, and the score of each player being determined by the solution which he brings about, a solution involving the depression 8 counting perhaps twice as much as a solution involving any one of the depressions 9.

In the drawings I have illustrated the- It is to be noted especially that, byreason of the fact that the depression let is formed in the surface of the ball 13', the remainder of the ball being solid, the tendency will be for the ball 13 to come to rest with the re cess l4 uppermost and thus the manipulation of' the board must be done with the utmost care to insure the centering of the recess 14 upon the ball 12. In Fig. 2 I have illustrated the balls in a position just prior to the final solution of the puzzle. If the two balls are disposed as illustrated in this figure,.and the board then properly tilted, the ball 13- will be moved in such a way as to receive the ball. into the recess 14:.

Figs. 4 and 5 there is shown a modified form of the invention in which the wall sections 10 are eliminated and in which the board 5 is provided with a plurality of upstanding obstacle pins, indicated at X, one of these pins being located between the depression 8 and each of the depressions 9, others of. the pins being-located between the depressions 9... It will of course be understood that these pins interrupt the free move ment of the ball 13 over the surface of the board.

What is claimed is:

l. A device of the class described comprising a base portion having a semiespherical depression therein, an upstanding wall carried by the base portion and surrounding the depression, said base portion having formed therein a circular series of semi-spherical depressions surrounding the first depression concentrically thereto, an upstanding wall carried by the base portion between the first mentioneddepression and the surrounding series of depressions, said wall having a passage formed therethrough, a ball disposed within the inclosure of the first mentioned wall', said ball being of a size to seat in any one ofthe depressions and to extend therefrom above the upper surface of the base, and a second ball located within the inclosure of the first mentioned wall and having a semi spherical recess in its surface of'a size to; receive the first mentioned ball snugly therein.

2. A device of the class described comprising a base member having a semi-spherical depress-ion therein, anupstanding wall carried by the base member and surrounding the depression, a ball disposed within the in closure of the wall, said ball being of a size to seat within the depression and toextend above the upper surface of the base portion, asecond ball disposed within the inclosure of "the wall and having a semi-spherical recess in its surface of a size to receive the first mentioned ball therein, and spaced upstanding elements carried by the base memher Within the inclosure of the wall.

In testimony whereof, I aifix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

RALPH E. REID. Witnesses:

J. N. BISHOP, CHARLES R. BRADY.

G'opies ofv this patent may be obtained. for five cents e,ach,.by addressing the Commissioner. of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

